Next year's Tennis Hall of Fame Open will be Newport's last. What comes next?

Next year's Infosys Hall of Fame Open will be the last played in Newport.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Wednesday morning that the current ATP 250 tournament sanction is being retired at the conclusion of the 2024 tournament.

Hall of Fame Director of Communications Megan Erbes said the decision was made by the ATP as part of an effort to create more time between tournaments, noting that Newport's tournament right after Wimbledon made for a tight timeline.

Here's a look at what we know.

• In the release, the Hall of Fame said the announcement coincides with a broader drive by the ATP Tour to enhance the overall tournament calendar, under its OneVision strategic plan.

• The ATP announced Wednesday morning that along with Newport, tournaments in Atlanta and Lyon, France will be retired after next season.

• The ATP said tour events in Dallas, Doha and Munich will be upgraded to ATP 500 status for 2025, calling it "part of an unprecedented set of reforms to strengthen the tennis calendar."

• The Infosys Hall of Fame Open will occur as scheduled in Newport from July 14-21, 2024.

• The Hall of Fame Open, which has had a number of different sponsors over the years, has been played annually since 1976.

• The ITHF said it's "also in the process of reimagining professional tennis in Newport with the expectation that beginning in 2025 a new era of pro tennis on the historic courts will begin."

Options to replace current Hall of Fame Open

Erbes said "a lot of things are on the table right" including potentially hosting a WTA tournament. She said Hall of Fame officials have also maintained communication with the ATP about potential exhibitions, especially around the annual induction ceremony. She said nothing is expected to be determined until the 2024 Infosys Hall of Fame Open is concluded.

"The immediate reaction is that it's going to result in something smaller, that is absolutely not the case," Erbes said.

Changes to future induction ceremonies

Erbes said the 2024 ceremony is planned to take place as previously scheduled on July 19-21, with no intention of any changes to the ceremony.

She said the removal of the tournament does create the ability to change the date for the ceremony in future years, without it being tied to the tournament dates, but noted the desire to keep the ceremony in the summer months. Erbes said there is also no current expectation that future induction ceremonies will be moved out of Newport, to coincide with the U.S. Open held in New York in August and September annually as an example, especially with high-profile future hall of famers in Serena Williams and Roger Federer due for induction in the coming years.

"It's important for us and a priority for us to link those inductions with the history of tennis," Erbes said. "We need to have those hall of famers here. That's the goal and the plan."

Impact on Newport

In addition to serving as an attraction for visitors to Newport, the International Hall of Fame is also a community partner in a number of endeavors, including the TeamFAME program that serves under-resourced middle school students in Newport and surrounding communities in an after-school program that provides "one-on-one tutoring, tennis programs, social and emotional lessons, and enrichment activities continue to keep these children, who are in great need, active, engaged and growing in their love of tennis and the character benefits it fosters.​"

Erbes said the loss of the tournament will not impact those efforts.

"The Hall of Fame is a huge part of the community and that will continue to be the case," she said.

What others are saying

“World-class tennis has been part of the fabric of Newport for nearly 150 years and will continue to have an ongoing presence at the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” ITHF CEO Dan Faber said in a statement. “The ITHF is actively exploring the opportunities to host new professional tennis events in Newport. In addition, we will continue to strengthen our digital programming, museum and visitor experience, worldwide presence, and presentation of the Ultimate Honor in Tennis – induction into the Hall of Fame.”

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“As professional tennis in Newport enters a new chapter in 2025, the ATP looks forward to continuing to work with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, one of our sport’s most historic venues, in the years ahead,” said Eric Starelli, executive vice president, ATP Americas.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said in a statement: “OneVision is all about raising the bar for tennis, and unlocking new investment in the game. We’re thrilled to have our Dallas, Doha and Munich events step up to ATP 500 status – delivering improved standards for players and most importantly an enhanced product for our fans.”

This is a developing story.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: International Tennis Hall of Fame Open in Newport to end after 2024